The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Regal Yonashvillexe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a mutation induction program conducted by the Inventor in Fort Myers, Fla. The objective of the program is to create new potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Yonashville, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,795, to X-ray radiation in September, 1997 in Fort Myers, Fla. Following the radiation treatment, the cuttings were rooted and terminal apices were removed (pinched) three times to promote lateral branch development. After lateral branches from the third pinch reached sufficient size, terminal cuttings were harvested, planted and flowered in a controlled environment in Fort Myers, Fla. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within this population in March, 1998, in Fort Myers, Fla. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Fla. in June, 1998. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Regal Yonashville has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Regal Yonashvillexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Regal Yonashvillexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum:
1. Uniform and upright plant habit.
2. Strong and vigorous growth habit.
3. Dark green foliage.
4. Uniform flowering response.
5. Typically grown as a natural spray-type.
6. Early flowering, eight-week response time.
7. Very freely flowering.
8. Large daisy-type inflorescences that are about 7.3 cm in diameter.
9. Purple ray florets and bright yellow disc florets; ray floret does not fade with development.
10. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for at least four weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Yonashville. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the cultivar Yonashville in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about one or two days earlier than plants of the cultivar Yonashville.
2. Ray floret color of the new Chrysanthemum is darker than ray floret color of the cultivar Yonashville.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Yolompoc, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,203. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the cultivar Yolompoc in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous and stronger than plants of the cultivar Yolompoc.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Yolompoc.